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Crossroads: the perfect vegan dinner date in LA

Prior to his own stint at Crossroads, the healthy lifestyle inspiring chef and owner of the restaurant prepared vegan meals for Oprah Winfrey’s vegan cleanse, catered Ellen DeGeneres vegan wedding, and even ventured into politics through food. Arianna Huffington’s party at the Democratic National Convention, and the first vegan dinner at the U.S. Senate were both catered by Tal Ronen.

Ronen, perhaps the most attuned vegan chef in America, spotted his luxurious opening on Melrose with a vision of an eagle. The restaurant-packed West Hollywood in Los Angeles still remains the city’s most adventurous gastronomic trendsetter. Despite the rising boldness of the edgy Venice, where now Matthew Kenney‘s Plant Food and Wine does just fine and Cafe Gratitude still serves the best vegan lunches in town, Melrose is the home to the more polished Mexican vegan hangout Gracias Madre, as well as other, by celebrities sought after restaurants with meat and cheese not crossed off the menu.
Welcoming diners in style, tables dressed in white linen, bulbous chandeliers hinting design conscious mindset and the sleek midnight shaded wood furnishings, surely impress well-heeled customers. Add a classy bar, and you also attract many non-vegans in search for a meatless break, still challenging to find in the US restaurants. The Bloody Mary cart with garnishes like an almond milk truffle dill cheese, a dehydrated tomato wheel or roasted balsamic cipollini onion lure in any brunch goers.
Vegan kale salad
While the menu is largely inspired by the Mediterranean, to me it seems like an homage to Italy really. Nut-based ricotta, pasta, cheese-free pizza, risotto and scallopini Milanese always feature on the menu. Morrocan flashes with vegan takes on American classics such as the hearts of palm Crabcakes or almond creamy New York style Cheesecake also pop here and there. Ronen’s culinary knowledge was harnessed at New York-based Natural Gourmet Institute, which encourages healthful cooking and eating. He also worked in Manhattan’s Candle 79 vegan restaurant. The Israeli chef once devoured his favorite pastrami sandwiches, stuffed with gregarious chunks of kosher meat, but his education at the Natural Gourmet Institute opened his eyes to a more sustainable lifestyle.
Today, he teaches cooking classes at le Cordon Blue and appears regularly on gastronomic events such as the South Beach Food and Wine Festival in Miami. He smartly substituted animal produce with similar taste profiles creating dishes that are comforting, season-driven, and capriciously delicious. Tal Ronen is the master magician of meatless eating.
plant-based meat substitutes
Our past two dinners started either with the Artichoke ‘oysters’, the ‘Crab’ cakes or the exquisite Charred Ricotta. The artichoke hearts topped with its pulp cream, crispy oyster mushrooms and kelp (seaweed) caviar are a light finger food with a lofty name. The Crab Cakes are heartier and perfect with a glass of mineral white wine, like their non-vegan original version. Moving to the main game with Tortelloni pasta stuffed with almond cheese and oven dried tomatoes, in a spinach cream and a parsley frisee salad for me, I did not miss any real cheese stuffing at all, indeed my taste buds were clapping with genuine happiness. Another comforting take on a classic Italian dish is the Scaloppini Millanese. The thinly pounded Scaloppini are made from “premade gardein™, a garden grown protein with the texture and taste of meat. In this breaded plate it substituted the veal brilliantly! You can also have it with nut-based “parmesan” instead.
If you still crave something next to your main course then the Porcini truffle fondue are hard to beat. The small hot pan of creamy “cheezy” dip served with fresh bread and granny smith apples is indulgent in the moment and will not make you feel as if someone had put stones into your belly after waking up the next morning. The thin crust pizza is also very popular. The proof of its greatness was that most tables around us were having it on both dinner visits. Next time!
A sweet finish does not to wear your down either at Crossroads. The Coconut sorbet encased in a dark chocolate nest, called for some reason “magic shell”, was creamy yet light and would humble any coco nation’s own preparations. Coconut milk and meat are top choices for many vegan chefs and it often appears also in savory recipes, with the exception of the nut-based cheese plates.

freshly baked potato chips Crossroads restaurant
For lunch, the menu is very different. Expect vegan Crossroads Benedict with shiitake “bacon” and no eggs of course, sandwiches, sweet pancakes, chips and simple yet delicious Kale Caesar salad. The main dining room is closed for lunch, but the adjoining bright café space is less busy while catering to the casual lunch seeking locals.
Warmly decorated private dining room and wine and “cheese” room with a retractable rooftop accommodate special occasions. For tipples the smartly assembled cocktail and wine lists accompany the animal-friendly indulgent evening out. Crossroads is a smart-casual vegan restaurant that indeed crossed the zebra between the increasingly popular hippie vegan cafes and the more dressy restaurants.
Whether you are a vegan, which means no animal produce consumed and worn, or not, you might date someone who has converted into this restrictive lifestyle. Plant-based food can be delicious, even better than meat and cream, but it has to be cooked well. Tal Ronen and some other talented plant food-focused chefs have proven that animal-free dining can be savored and liberating, at least for one’s ability to eschew suffering involved in eating any commercially provided animal produce. The chef even called his first cookbook “The Conscious Cook” spot on!
🕗 Brunch daily 10:00 am – 2 pm
Dinner: Fri – Sat 5:00 pm – 12:00 am
Sun – Thurs 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
✉ 8284 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, California, USA

☏ +(1) 323 782 9245

MY NOTE: Although your cardiologist will approve of plant food, unfortunately, most vegan food is not suitable for nut allergies. As the chefs try to include more protein and make the food filling, nuts seemed to have caught their attention in the preparation of their meals. I wish there were more chefs doing at least two-thirds of their menu nut-free.

Best fast organic cafés in Los Angeles, California

The vigorous spur of seasonal, local and organic eating out feels like green shoots after rain, so much desired in the drought-tormented Los Angeles. Weather aside, the LA’s healthy café scene has sparked fireworks over the Hollywood sign in the past decades. This sudden, but forceful boom of organic Los Angeles cafés fascinated me. I have been scanning the menus and savouring the self-pronounced healthy culinary experiments of the outstretched metropolis for years now and chose the best.

With each visit, more brightness shone into the real deals and I was able to discern the honest, health focused organic Los Angeles cafés as well as the serious restaurants from those obscured by foxy marketing tactics. The fumes of entertainment seem to have literally stoned many local minds into apathetic naivety. There is now so much to choose from, but not every organic café is as healthy and rejuvenating as it claims. Strikingly, often these magic nourishment promising bombs pack unnecessary calories into their condensed meals and ‘super’ drinks. Some also need a serious sanitary upgrade and I would not entirely trust their food’s safety. I chose the best smart options for you, that survived the booming medicinal food battle on steroids over the past decade. When needed, I also highlight some traps, and advise you to always ask the staff what allergens, how many calories and what and how much sweeteners are in your dish. In the US this is a law and any fast food provider must provide you with nutritional information.

Survival of the fittest willing to assimilate trends

Despite being a well-serving veteran, Urth-Café became so last decade, slowly fading trend. This organic Los Angeles cafeteria still serves gigantic American portions of organic salads, gluten-free oily and sugary cakes, conventionally pressed juices and high-quality coffee drinks, the ex-hotspot still attracts the celebrities seeking crowds. The real health pursuing stars are long gone, though.
There were worse offenders, though, but luckily dozens of amateurish, self-taught-chefs openings, went out of business. Playing into the consumers advantage and since the competition is so rife, the menus need to diversify substantially in order to survive in the LA’s hive of the vegan at al. activity, so I picked the most distinct, independently thinking cafés that are equally invested in the quality of their take-outs.
Refined sugar, GMOs, trans-fats and hydrogenated oils are taboos for all of my following selections of organic Los Angeles Cafés.

Healthful organic Los Angeles Café leaders – innovation, great taste, and nutrition:

M Café

While shopping in Beverly Hills or on Melrose pop for a breakfast, a quick healthy lunch or a snack to M. This macrobiotic café and take-out designed in European contemporary café style has kept over the years many of its popular staples on the menu. Since macrobiotic dining may confuse many novices, myself together with their well-documented celebrity following like their straightforward, for California unusually uncomplicated approach. Everything at M Café is made without any refined sugar, dairy, eggs, poultry or red meat, and using only organic whole grains from the California-based Koda Farms (Kokuho Rose brown rice) is all in sync with the macrobiotic lifestyle. Eastern Japanese inspiration, as well as local Cal-Mex favourites like tacos on Tuesdays, form the clear-cut menus. Gluten-free options are highlighted. I do not count as a fan of their macro sushis, but love their burritos and ready-made house salads. While guiding the essential food combinations, the otherwise flexible Macro Meal lets you accommodate your, in the moment, cravings into a wholesome macrobiotic plate. Their agave-flavoured lemonades can be quite sweet, and if you are guarding calories opt for cold-pressed vegetable juices instead.
Families are welcome as the Kid’s menu caters to the youngest generation while a special Cleanse program for a total health reboot can be delivered directly to your house or hotel.
MUST HAVE: hearty Breakfast Burrito; breakfast Tofu Scramble; The M Chopped salad; Egg-Less Salad with dill; mayonnaise-free Coleslaw; M Café Macro Meal, carb & calorie-free “Miracle Noodles” with a choice of broth and protein.

Kreation Organic

Kreation is a trendy organic Los Angeles vegetarian hotspot that has been recently moving away from the raw and vegan-only menu. Stretching its branches across the city now its liquid “super foods” even cruise around sold casually from a juice truck. Since Kreation is centred around extensive juice offerings (perhaps the most creative blends in town) and four levels of “Kleanses” (shipped only locally for freshness, no shipping outside the city), some locations are only for take-aways, but the large Kafés offer casual sit-down spaces with mostly raw, vegan and also some cooked healthy plates. Often inspired by the founder’s Persian roots, yet most of their USDA Organic Certified ingredients are sourced from the local Santa Monica farmers market.
I am not too keen on their gigantic Amaze Bowls based on açai or the Jungle Bowl of honey sweetened frozen green juice, both served with fresh fruits and crumbles of granola. I find them too sweet and shockingly high in calories for a regular breakfast. You won’t find calories and nutritional info on the take-away packages though, so beware! If you are not an athlete, they should be indulged in as a treat. Depending on the batch, the Sour Cream Kale Chips can be too chewy. For a glowing skin, rather snack on the simple but highly addictive and simply dehydrated Coconut, Almond and Apple Crisps. Beauty and wellness tonics such as Skin, Energy, Libido, Candida, and many others constantly being invented and reinvented are sold in small bottles promising to be “good for what ails you“. Your inner naturopath will be emotionally taken by the curative and make-yourself-prettier shots.
MUST HAVE: Chia Yogurt (now called “Vanilla Almond Yogi”); Coco Apple Crisps; Green 3; Skinny & Marjan’s Favorite juice; Cantaloupe and Rose water; Matcha coconut milk latte, Gazpacho Soup; Garbanzo Bean Hummus Wrap in Collard Greens; Garbanzo and black bean hummus, Chocolates with herbs, seeds, and dried fruits.

Life Food Organic

Life Food Organic’s new location on Pico Boulevard remains focused on raw vegan food, preserving enzymes, sprouting nuts and seeds for easier digestibility as does its more rustic branch in Hollywood. Customise your juice blends, let your creativity soar, and pick from one of their natural sweeteners to assure your complete satisfaction. A recently fixed patio at the back creates a better dine-in ambiance and serves daily for a couple of hours as an open-air yoga studio. It is brighter and like its original Hollywood location space embraces holistic lifestyle by bringing yoga and meditation under one roof.
For all the in-house made drinks and meals, including the ice cubes, a nine-stage water filtration removing chemicals is used. Bottled drinks include Synergy kombucha, various flavours of iced tea, and by crystals activated water. Most of them are sourced from other US brands specialising in health drinks. All day breakfast is convenient. Energy surge is guaranteed by consuming the cooling antioxidant spike of the Açai bowl, chewy Buckwheaties Cereal in almond milk or savoury Breakfast Burrito.
Beware while sampling the “Wellness Elixirs” since most can shock your taste buds or digestive system with cayenne hot, vinegary (Candida Clear, Alkaliser) or oily (Three Immortals Hot Tea) potions tasting like a bad Chinese medicine. While these drinks might overwhelm with disgust, others are delectable adding to a more complete organic Los Angeles lifestyle.
MUST HAVE: Vanilla Almond Milk; Sea Wrap; Green Burrito; Green Healing Soup – nut and spices free gazpacho for a healthful recovery; tamari almonds; Vietnamese Spring Rolls.

MAKE OUT

MAKE OUT suggests naughty indulgence, yet it rather offers raw vegan gustatory pleasure involving your stomach, not other body parts. Tucked behind the historic Culver Hotel on a pedestrian walkway, the recently relaunched simpler, more catering and a take-away focused sister to the, sadly, closed plant-based restaurant MAKE in Santa Monica. The expanding string of new ventures directed by the raw culinary maestro Matthew Kenney has opened a fancier restaurant Plant Food and Wine on the ultra-hip Abbot Kinney Road in Venice Beach.
At MAKE OUT the take-out menu of its cosmetically stripped of its predecessor’s sophistication making it more suitable on-the-go. The MAKE OUT Salad does not strike my taste buds with the coconut “bacon’s” sweetness and the Kelp noodles with olives are quite boring. On the other spectrum of taste is their superb, although messy in your hands, Cobb Wrap, as well as the Ginger & carrot kelp noodles. The dehydrated snacks are a treat and lighter than most raw snacks sold at Wholefoods. What Kenney does best though is creativity and portion control. His are the smallest and lightest vegan dishes I have had in the entire America. The juices are not always made to taste great, so be prepared for some awkward moments.
MUST HAVE: Cobb Wrap; Ginger and carrot kelp noodles; anything with macadamia truffle “cheese”.

Moon Juice

In the realm of food and snacks, the seeds, beans and grains are all being “activated”. By soaking them and draining the liquid, the naturally present toxic phytic acid in beans is removed and the beneficial enzymes are encouraged, activated, while aiding digestion. These activated “super foods” together with original blended juices fuel sufficient energy to the muscles of the athletes and hikers stumbling into on of the smartly located branches of Moon Juice. Their packaging might seem quite woodoo-ish, promising magical healing through food, but their original mixes of raw foods are really intense at least on your palate. Some of their raw snacks explode with calories, such as the tiny dessert of Probiotic Cream Cheese on a carrot, ginger, and nut-based cookie patty, the not so tasty Addictive Wellness chocolates, and Activated Maca Mesquitte Walnuts sweetened with maple syrup, bananas, and dates and coated in an almond butter batter (so delicious!). They are rather indulgent, but less processed than most conventional energy bars. An ideal boost to your stamina prior to an intense workout and can sooth your later sugar cravings. Their dehydrated raw veggies and activated seeds crackers such as Green Fermented Seed Crisps with cultured cabbage, burdock, dandelion, and many other ‘magic’ ingredients, are daring an acquired taste for some. Packed with plenty of naturally occurring vitamins and minerals they seem a better option than any heavily processed savoury snacks. Burn it out through an intense activity and you will shine throughout your organic Los Angeles journey.
MUST HAVE: Juices and nut “milks”; Chipotle Chile & Lime Raw Mango with a pinch of pink salt; Activated Maca Mesquitte Walnuts; Activated Turmeric, Coconut & Lime Pepitas; Carrot Gingerbread & Probiotic ‘Cream Cheese’ Icing.

Healthier treats in Los Angeles:

The current hype in beverages calls for a wide selection of naturally flavoured fizzy kombucha on tap, the fermented mushroom beverage tastefully upgraded in LA from its austere Euro-Asian original. The more upscale Café Gratitude, Sun Café and other fashionable healthy stalwarts went beyond lemonades and juices as they got into fermenting their growing mushroom brew or buy kegs from reputable kombucha makers.

The Hive

a kombucha heaven, is a perfect drinks spot but also a casual tapas bar. Their kombucha creations are perhaps the most creative in town and, unlike most of the mushroomy tasting fermented fizzy sisters sold elsewhere, they taste great! No ice is added into their drinks, so no cheating and no shock for your metabolism is guaranteed.

If you crave gelato, then LA also has a guilt-free tasty option:

Kind Kreme‘s vegan ice creams

based on coconut or almond milk and blended with super foods, so they turn the frozen sin into tongue-dazzling guilt-free treats.

Erewhon

the fully organic health foods only market that since 1968 set the standard for other businesses in town. For years, there was only one location in LA near the Grove in West Hollywood, but another, more polished had recently opened in the hip sea-tucked hood of Venice. Their tonic bar serves fresh juices, smoothies, brewed tea, mushrooms-based hot drinks, kombucha on tap as well as the frozen acai and pitaya bowls and organic coffee by Victoria. There are shaded tables outside to devour the ultra-nutritious meals prepared daily on the premises. Even the brown rice sushi rolls like the spicy tuna (sustainably caught) are great! Erewhon is a temple of the health-focused organic Los Angeles foodies.

Overwhelmingly, the wave of resentment towards processed food pushes the Angelenos to craving relentlessly their next superfood and make-me-beautiful-and-healthy magic potions in their daily, no gluten please, meals. Perhaps encouraged by the Hollywood perfectionism, the local organic offerings thrive, but as I stressed at the beginning of this post, scrutinise and keep the portions reasonably sized as overeating, even through these “healthy” foods will not make you feel well. Finding the best casual organic LA cafés is a work in progress since so many new healthy businesses open.
Despite my efforts to pull the strings of hindsight to the maximum, the coming years may disprove the health claims of some of my choices. As it constantly happens in science and nutrition, in particular, progress never stops and with it, each claim is either supported or uprooted. What is hard to argue with though is that balance is good for our health and La Muse Blue will always support and encourage this value for its readers. Enjoy all the organic Los Angeles and you will also support sustainability.

Planted beyond Hollywood: the best vegan eats in LA

I cherry picked the best vegan eats in Los Angeles where you won’t find just the grungy hippies, ultra-serious yogis, hot and paper-thin models. Popularised by the hippies of the 1960s, the animal welfare protecting vegetarianism and a step more veganism are flowing with a steady resolve into the mainstream consciousness.

In vogue: healthy animal-friendly dining

There are now hundreds of vegan cafes, juice detoxes, and other health promissing, slimming, life-prolonging and perfect complexion guaranteeing ‘cures’ in LA. Increasingly, young families, fit professionals of all ages as well as foodies hunting for organic and tasty meal balancing the life’s indulgences have communally joined ocassional ‘plantvorism’. Here you find more than Casual organic vegan Cafés and take outs in LA, but proper restaurants suitable for a work lunch, a romantic date or a fun dinner out.

Swayed by celebrities: gourmet goes vegan

The life-changing chimes of the vegan mantra vibrate forcefully throughout the metropolis reaching the culinary skies of the high-end dining. Blame it on the outspoken vegan celebrities; Alicia Silverstone, Anne Hathaway, Ellen DeGeneres, Brad Pitt, Jared Leto, even Jay-Z & Beyoncee hung on to plant foods only for a while. After trying some of the plants-only meals you may also become the animal produce eschewing convert if only for a day per week.
Spurring from the trend-setting Melrose area with Tal Ronnen’s Crossroads the cruelty-free and heart-friendly diet is now like a spider net taking over the town. Even many of the ‘normal’ restaurants and luxury hotels now include a vegan burger, breaded scaloppini, a cauliflower steak or simple organic vegetables on their menus. Wolfgang Puck, G.Baldi and the ever popular Venice stalwart Gjelina, all highlight their vegetarian and vegan-friendly plates.

The best vegan eats in Los Angeles:

These are my rigorously tested purely organic favourites in the most visited neigborhoods of LA.

Café Gratitude

The role model for many plant-based restaurants, located in the beach-lined Venice and the more central Larchmont Village, the best vegan eats in LA are to be found at Cafe Gratitude. The pioneer of tastefully decorated, lush cholesterol-free dining yielded loyal followers beyond the healthful locals.
Gratitude takes you on a spiritual journey of nourishing through its seasonal satisfying plates, bowls, magical elixirs, house made spritzers and cold-pressed juice blends with wacky titles like ‘Blessed’, ‘Sassy’ or ‘Outrageous’. Their juice cleanse was developed to “restore both the mind and body not only through what we consume, but through love, acceptance, gratitude, worth, creation, abundance and generosity.” With this mantra in mind, the social detox devotees can enjoy their body flushing juices while participating in the Cafe Gratitude’s vibrant atmosphere.
The flavour-abundant desserts are so dense and packed with nutrients that it is better to share the nut-based cakes. A bite into the dark chocolate cube filled with heavenly creamy almond butter will send you jumping to the moon, while the lime cheesecake, lighter and fresher is the perfect sweet breakfast or afternoon treat with a cup of tea. Some non-vegans come just for these luscious agave sweetened indulgences. Most menu items change seasonally.
MUST HAVE: FABULOUS raw lasagna, PRESENT bruschetta, BRIGHT sautéed spicy broccolini, guacamole with corn tortillas or flax or buckwheat crackers, or the wholesome sesonally changing COMMUNITY BOWL with brown rice or quinoa. The almond chocolate cubes and the raw nut-based desserts such as I AM AWAKENING Key lime pie or I AM ADORING Tiramissu. Sip on the warm IMMORTAL immunity tonic, the fizzy GUTSY kombucha on tap or the refreshing ZEN inpsired burdock juice.

Plant Food + Wine

Opened by the guru of vegan chefs’ education in America, Matthew Kenney, the squarely named Plant Food + Wine is another Venice favourite. ‘Healthy’ in the United States often translates as giant bowls of rich, often sugary sauces poured over vegetables or gluten-free bowls of grains and animal protein, but Kenney learned from the French nouveau cuisine that size also matters. His head chef’s pedigree is impressive. He trained at many top European kitchens including the Copenhagen’s alma matter Noma. At Plant Food, the chef creates organic, seasonal, plant-based gourmet small plates sprinkled with bright edible flowers and verdant herbs. Unless you order their nine courses market-inspired tasting menu, the nibbling portions may not fill you up. The cosy outdoor patio, heirloom vegetable garden and friendly service comfort most cravings. Their mostly raw seasonal menu flattered our European taste buds.
Beyond the raw coolness, some warm dishes like the Farro Balls accommodate the LA’s chilly dessert nights out. The cocktails, by-the-glass selections, as well as their biodynamic and organic wine list are well suited for the setting. To truly rejuvenate though by eschewing alcohol opt for fresh juices or herbal spritzers. At Plant Food + Wine you will less likely consume too may calories thriving in the nut-packed raw foods jammed in large platings.
MUST HAVE: Truffle macadamia cheese with pickles, white strawberries, chilli peppers, bread and raw fennel crackers; Leaves; Chlorella Olive Oil Cake with Balsamic Gelato.

Crossroads

Tal Ronen, perhaps the most serious US vegan chef spotted his luxurious opening on Melrose with an eagle vision. West Hollywood has remained the city’s trend setter despite the upcoming and more edgy Venice. With white linen covered tables, bulby chandeliers, massive wood furnishings and the classy bar attract many non-vegans in search for a meat-less break when dining out. The Bloody Mary cart with garnishes like an almond milk truffle dill cheese, dehydrated tomato wheel or roasted balsamic cipollini onion, will roll any brunch out with style.
Inspired by the Mediterranean, to me the menu seems like a homage to Italy. The main dining room is closed for lunch, but the adjoining bright café space is less busy while catering to the casual lunch seeking locals. The lunch is much more basic consisting mostly of sandwiches and salads. A warmly decorated private dining room and wine and cheese room with a retractable rooftop are fit for special occasions. For tipples the smartly assembled cocktails and wine list accompany any animal-friendly indulgent evening out.
MUST HAVE: Artichoke ‘oysters’, “Crab” cakes, Porcini truffle fondue, Tortelloni pasta, Scaloppini Millanese, Coconut sorbet.

Grazias Madre

While Crossroads is more elegant and classy, Grazias Madre cajoles by trendy and cool ambiance. San Francisco transplant and a sister to Café Gratitude, this organic Mexican cocktail den swished into the veganovores’ vogue in West Hollywood. The Mexican team of chefs whip out the best vegan eats. The tasty and rich shareables, its lively, by trees and umbrellas shaded patio, and a hotspot bar scene, draw in a youthful crowd. Most of thee seasonal ingredients come from their own Be Love organic farm in California. Some of the dishes that are strongly patriotic of their Mexican roots (like the enchiladas) are hearty so you better share them.
The eyballs roll up above the impressive tequila list, while the organic or biodynamic wine selection and natural cocktails are more nutrient dense than the typical tipple. The most rejuvenating drinks are the warm teas or the American style iced teas like the immunity-boosting hibiscus. Ask for agave-free drinks to avoid any added sugar and for mocktails for an alcohol-free outing.
MUST HAVE: GUACAMOLE CON TORTILLAS, TACOS with cashew cheese, slightly spicy ENCHILADAS CON MOLE, margaritas.

Shojin Culver City

Do not miss the discreet entrance of this smarter vegan transport from the Japantown in Downtown, since Shojin in Culver City offers Asian best vegan eats in LA. Their organic shojin-ryori, which is a strict vegan Buddhist diet, is extended to accommodate contemporary tastes. The sushi rolls are the most interesting, tastiest, fish-free and therefore more sustainable versions of maki that I have tried so far. A smooth background music and the subtle and precise Japanese service inside the cosy and sensitively lit restaurant do not yield to the modern rush. Be patient, your food will arrive soon. The comfortable seats, tasteful art and a bottle of wine will relax and entertain any restless mind.
Trying both, the weekend brunch and a weeknight dinner, the evening broadened our options with a full a la carte menu along with a tasting menu. The recommended items proved to be the best vegan eats at Shojin. We were not very impressed by the Caviar over the Rainbow Roll and Sweet Eel Dragon Rolls. Go for the Dynamite Roll since it has been consistently ravishing. After the meal, their subtly sweet cookies (Earl Grey, spicy Chocolate Jalapeño or Lemon with Poppy Seed) pair well with tea or a floral rose infusion.
MUST HAVE: Spicy ‘Tuna’ on a Crispy Rice, Dynamite Roll 2.0, Shojin Crab Cake Tartar, Chocolate and Jalapeño as well as the Sesame Seed cookies.

Sun Café Organic

Studio City also has its own cultish spot for the health and sustainably minded. The Universal Studios frequenting stars and crews also seek the best vegan eats in this valley area and Sun Café Organic is one of the nicest places for ‘plantvores’. Being mostly gluten-free and offering not too complicated but ingredient driven raw vegan food the superb concoctions of Ron Russell, co-owner and its veteran chef, draws in loyal healthy customers. Sun Café Organic has flourished over the years into a summery lunch spot outdoors, where also a take-out counter serves the time-pressed, while inside its Southern flare decoration invites for a dinner date during the cool desert nights. Colorful flowers rise from the pots scaterred around, and vines climb up on the patio where the fire sparks up any romance in the evenings.
All organic selection of 18 wines-by-the glass, seductive bottles, and craft beers on tap free your tongue for a joyful conversation. You can dine light, but the ‘vegivoriously’ transformed comfort foods such as mac’n’ cheese, lasagna and pad thai without the gluten and carbs of typical pasta are as much satisfying as their naughty originals.
MUST HAVE: Caesar Salad, BBQ Cauliflower, Lettuce Leaf Tacos, Kombucha Dog on tap; seasonal specials.

Weight watchers and allergy sufferers beware

“Healthy” became the recent hot marketing prerogative of many US restaurants, cafés, and even packaged foods companies. With this hype, and this word’s fleeting meaning in the culture of progressive science that refutes one claim by its opposite braced by the newest research, it is wise not to overindulge even in these “healthy” tagged foods.
Los Angeles, radiating Hollywood’s glamour, is the epicentre of the new diet trends that digest through the ravenous media appetites and the celebrities’ quips that inspire the icons adoring world. Now, that the organic vegan fare is available to all of you, beware, since nut allergy sufferers won’t find their soulmate in the contemporary vegan diet since it became largely fixated on using nuts instead of dairy and meat.
vegan cookies I gained almost 10 pounds when savouring the many filling, calorifically generous cookies, nutty bowls, burritos, soups, salads, wraps and ultra-energising “nourishing” smoothies. These energy fillers are fine for the serious athletes, but those of you watching the scale may panic, so do not overindulge and try to eat the same portions as with normal foods. The accent on yummy flavours makes it harder to resist, but listen to your gut, savor mouthful after another, mindfully, and you will get it right.
Salut! to this more healthful, animal-free, organic dining movement that is slowly being embraced by more global cities from New York though London to Hong Kong.

La Muse Blue philosophy: Balance, is the ultimate definition of health.

Los Angeles: the city of staring surprises

Los Angeles, CALIFORNIA, is often nicknamed the “entertainment capital of the world”. Hollywood runs through the veins of this expansive city. Yet, its eccentricities lie far beyond the whims of the movie stars.

Some of its boho neighbourhoods such as the trendy Venice and Hollywood are the magnets for the grungy, tatooed, perhaps slightly crazy, but also creative, happy and relaxed locals.
The overwhelmingly casual and cultures-blending food scene is as exciting as the sightings of celebrities. One can choose from the upbeat trendy food trucks moving around town, ethnic casual eateries, local gastronomic innovators and rising US chef stars like Ludo Lebfebre, who have made LA their home. There are plenty of restaurants to indulge in as well as easy to rejuvenate at one of the LA’s vegan, raw, organic, macrobiotic, and whatever is the newest celebrity diet trend, LA is the testing ground for such health focused fashions and it does it very well and generally very tasty.

The striking contrasts of the sprawling metropolis are best explored by car. Whether you show off in a convertible Ferrari rented in Beverly Hills or rent a pick-up truck to fit your surfboard for a truly American style, the multi-line roads, sunny days, dry desert mountains and wild ocean vistas, invite for a spectacular ride.
From Hollywood, cross the Hollywood Hills, and visit the Universal Studios with their real film and TV show sets. The movie fans will enjoy in particular the Studio Tour and Special Effects Stage. For open-air concerts between June and September head to the iconic Hollywood Bowl (230 N. Highland Ave). Bring your own picnic including wine, and listen to the music stars of the greatest merit or the LA Philharmonic Orchestra.

ART HAVEN

LA has much more to offer than glitzy entertainment. Hancock Park is an archeological site of the La Brea Tar Pits (open daily; free entry), a working excavation of the bones and tusks of Ice-age creatures.
In the same location is LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd.; Closed on Wednesdays). The best art venue in town featuring great modern and American art, and a Japanese Pavilion just next to an outdoor sculpture garden with bronze Rodin’s works. It might sound awkward, but the museum’s unique “Levitated Mass”, a giant 340 ton megalith atop a walk-though pass is its most photographed object. Check lacma.org for free daily tours, talks and regular Friday jazz concerts, alongside film premieres and conversations with thought-provoking people of various expertise. Around the LACMA, there are always some food trucks, a great lunch or snack take-out.

The futuristic Disney Concert Hall designed by the LA-based Frank Gehry is the venue for the LA Philharmonic’s dance and opera performances.
The world-famous Getty Museum designed by the acclaimed American architect Richard Meier. Together with its sister, the Getty Villa in Santa Monica hills, they offer stunning views across LA (free entry; parking $15). The latter has for some a more interesting exhibition of ancient Etruscan, Roman and Greek art and objects. The building is a replica of a first century Roman villa built on request by the oil tycoon J. P. Getty. Throughout September, classical theatre productions in the outdoor amphitheatre invite for a visit.

LUXURIOUS SHOW OFF IN BEVERLY HILLS

Beverly Hills is not to be missed on your trip. Whether you just stroll around admiring the eye-dropping mansions of famous stars, shop on Rodeo Drive at its luxurious boutiques with a soldier-like lines of palms and clean pavements, you should also savour some local snacks.
For more upbeat shopping head to Melrose Avenue (don’t miss the iconic Fred Segal concept store) and Robertson Street, where various home design stores mix up with local quirky pop-ups, vintage jewellery and clothing. In this West Hollywood vicinity it is worth setting your eyes on Sielian’s Vintage Apparel (9013 Melrose Ave) or Craig Evan Small (731 N. La Cienega Blvd.), a highly respected dealer of jewellery, watches from all eras. These are the the best places to buy many of the red carpet original pieces.

OCEAN PANORAMAS

If you want to stay by the ocean and explore more of the upbeat areas around Venice and Santa Monica, then stay at Shutters on the Beach hotel (One Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica, Tel. +1 310 458 0030 Doubles from $495).
With its residential feel, the building recalls the 1920s and 30s architecture of the old America’s beach resorts. The front of the hotel opens to the Santa Monica Beach miles of promenade. The rooms were recently refurbished to give them a fresh look matching better with their Pacific views. Have a drink at The Living Room bar, one of the most sought-after spots in Los Angeles for cocktail at sunset. The elegant and fresh rooftop bar and contemporary restaurant of the recently opened Huntington Hotel became the hotspot for the sunset vistas seeking fashionable crowds. The aptly named Penthause eagles from Malibu, through the Pacific Ocean’s waves of Santa Monica and far behind to the Hollywood hills.

Get a car and be ready for lots of driving as the city is pulled tremedously like a chewing gum. This is also part of its attractiveness though. Zigzag along the hills on the narrow Mullholland Drive, formed by the past earthquakes. As a gorgeous natural spectacle of the desert back-country merges into the lush bushes near the ocean, you will forget about all the traffic down in the town.

LA’s ocean-dessert climate is as much pleasant as it can be deceiving. Do not forget to pack plenty of jackets and long pants for the cool evenings. Your bermudas would better fit holidays in Hawaii, but not the LA’s chameleon temperatures.

E.Baldi guarding a family heritage of authentic Italian flare in the City of Angels

The Baldi family restaurants have been appealing to the authentic Italian cuisine fans in Los Angeles for years. It started with the late Giorgio Baldi, the father of Edoardo, who opened a hidden gem near the hills of Santa Monica. Just far enough from the busy ocean promenade embellished by majestic palms and the blue horizon of the Pacific, G. Baldi was a secret beloved by celebrities. While the old restaurant remains open, now the more popular E.Baldi in Beverly Hills continues the family’s Italian legacy.

Giorgio Baldi’s interior is sparely lit. The old family restaurant has an aura evoking a whiff of cigar smoke in dark library. Yet, unlike the monastic stillness of libraries, there is a lively human buzz waving through the room. The tweeting discussions at many tables bring this very intimate place to life, but somehow still shield off the romance of the couples sitting on the outskirts. The outdoor tables are shaded from the noisy street and unwelcome spectators by lush bushes. The waiters smile and advise on the menu and wines with such a prowess that it is impossible not to succumb to their charms. E.Baldi in Beverly Hills was opened by Edoardo years later after he worked at the kitchen of his now deceased father at G. Baldi, has a slightly more modern feel. Recently the kitchen wall was replaced by a glass window to lure the eyes of the customers and to further strengthen the connection between the food and its consumption.

The food, in chef Edoardo Baldi words, is “Nothing fancy, no dishes with too many ingredients and flavors.” And that is how a great Italian food, that most of us love in Europe, is supposed to be. Excellent in its simplicity, high quality ingredients and as fresh as possible. The Baldi’s Italian cuisine borrows from the Tuscan tradition, with a pinch of Emillia Romagna and their take on the evergreens such as the Veal Milanese from Lombardia. The breaded thinly pounded veal cutlet on the bone (cotoletta), ubiquitous on the traditional menus at osterias and more flamboyant ristorantes in Milan, makes the hearts of some diners bouncing like kangaroos racing in the bush. Edoardo uses lamb instead of the traditional veal at G. Baldi for his not greasy breaded chops à la Milanese. At E.Baldi, the Veal cutlet alla pizzaiola with tomato, capers and oregano, is lighter, not breaded.

From the starters there are many personal favourites. Our local friends cannot go without the Crostino of polenta with porcini sauce, which truly is amazing. The cornmeal polenta melts like an iceberg in a piercing desert sun and the porcini sauce adds some forest flavour freshened with green herbs. On a similar note are the Fried shiitake mushrooms with pecorino tartufato, aka truffled aged Italian sheep’s cheese. The mushrooms are sliced to leisurely chunks and not oily despite being fried.
If you are in the mood for something lighter, then the Sliced Artichokes with onions, sliced fennel and airy shavings of pecorino or the lean meaty Bresaola with homemade marinated artichoke hearts are both superb. Blended smoothly into a warm vegetable soup, the Passato of broccoli, leeks, topped with porcini is perfect for the typical cool LA night out. Nourishing and healthy, perfect if you need comforting belly pampering. Many regulars include models and figure-conscious hollywood sirens must be grateful for these simple, healthy and compared to most American restaurants small plate options.

Still, you can relish in a filling indulgence with Panzerotti, a baked crêpe filled with creamy ricotta, green chard, parmesan and porcini mushrooms. I love the wood oven baked pizza and the homemade pasta such as Tortelli of butternut squash, ricotta, amaretto, crispy sage & browned butter, that always stir in a happy rush of serotonin.
Seasonal local specials such as the excellent spiny lobster (Aragosta locale) from Santa Barbara served with cannelini beans and bell pepper with sweet chopped cherry tomato sauce made my dinner outstanding there in February.
Dolci treats like the Tortino al cioccolato with creamy chocolate Grand Marnier heart, a dense whip of chantilly cream and chocolate ice cream or a scoop of hazelnut, stracciatella chocolate chip, vanilla, or milk gelato, are all made by Edoardo himself.
The wine list at E.Baldi is mostly Italian with some California options for the locavore fans. We usually stick to Italy with Italian food. A bottle of red Barbera d’Asti Barbera, Ai Suma, Braida 2003 for $167.00 was in the upper price bucket, but it rewarded our palates with fresh, juicy, yet complex flavours accompanying the lamb Milanese and lobster mains with its lovely acidity well.

At most Italian restaurants tea selection is limited, not at E.Baldi though. LA, the city of some obsessively healthy people, caters generously to its organic crowds. The teas from Colorado-based Two leaves are organic. You can also have an espresso or a frothy cappuccino, the later enjoyed in Italy with breakfast, but in America no raised eyebrows will shun your choice.
Since 2011, when Giorgio Baldi died, the kitchen in Santa Monica has been headed by experienced chefs who cooked alongside Giorgio for almost 25 years since its opening, so the quality should remain. Edoardo carries his own family legacy at his restaurant E.Baldi in Beverly Hills with an impressive vigour and humbleness.
Visits: March 2011; spring and summer 2013, July 2014, February 2015, September 2017
Price level: High (appetizers above $10 and main courses in the $20 to $40 level). It is justified though by the high-quality ingredients and cooking mastery.
E.Baldi: +1 310 24 82 633; Giorgio Baldi: +1 310 57 31 660
E.Baldi: 375 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
G.Baldi: 114 W. Channel Rd, Santa Monica, CA 90402
E.Baldi lunch 11:30am-3pm; dinner 6-10pm; closed Sun & Mon; G.Baldi closed on Mondays.

CLOSED Red Medicine: lifting the level of culinary creativity in LA

The head chef at Red Medicine Jordan Kahn trained in a number of America’s best restaurants including the lauded French Laundry. Native of Savannah, his youthful American curiosity directed Kahn’s career choices and landed him a number of cherished apprenticeships from San Francisco to New York.

Starting with an edible forest served on a wooden block might be quite an adventure for anyone, save for the Noma devotees (voted the best restaurant in the world for two years until 2013), so it may arrive as a surprise that the jostle of foraging really tastes very good. But this is just a kickoff, since most of the dishes on the Red Medicine’s menu are awe-provoking.
The Chicken Dumplings with pork fat and lemongrass are more like buns à la shish-kebab satisfying the meat hunters. The Leek with yuzu and buttermilk arranged like a museum art piece on the plate that one is afraid to touch from fear of setting off an alarm, is vegetarian-friendly and biodynamically grown. The Dungeness Crab, the oozing richness of the adventurous Santa Barbara Uni with an almond milk subduing the acquired taste of this spiky sea creature, and most of the other ocean produce are locally sourced.
The food at Red Medicine not only looks amazing, but after trying about half of the menu we had to conclude that every single morsel was gushing with an abundant taste, depth, complexity and variety. Unlike many of the gastronomic eateries that sprung up across the globe like mushrooms after the warm fall rain, Red Medicine is worth trying. It does not come cheap, so count with a special treat. The six-course menu costs $65 (add $35 for drinks pairing) and will be potentially cheaper than ordering a la carte if you like to eat a lot.

Cuisine: Modern, international with Asian and Nordic influences, not Vietnamese as is often described.
Visit: September 2013
Price: Medium to high (you need to order many courses in order to be sated as most plates are quite small).
Atmosphere: Red Medicine’s casual, buzzing feel together with an open kitchen and bar concept add free spirit. It is youthful but won’t outrage seniors, except those not keen on noisy humbug. The restaurant is more like a huge open bar serving trendy and innovative fare with a smile on the waiters faces.
Drinks: The cocktails are popular, but the wine list was too seductive for us, so we succumbed. First, we sampled a number of rather unusual wines-by-the-glass, but these did not stick so we voted for a lovely and refreshing bottle of a white Riesling ‘Steiner Hund’ by Nikolaihof from the Wachau Valley in Austria. The dry Riesling befriended most of the ordered plates, although pairing it with meat was challenging so we switched to a glass of red. The wine list is focused on German and Austrian producers, but you will find some American, French and even Italian bottles. Not many snug under the $50 tag though, so prepare your valet for a slight splurge à la Beverly Hills.
Daily dinner 6pm-2am
8400 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
+1 323 651 5500

Spago in Beverly Hills: Wolfgang Puck's brigtest star gets a facelift

Wolfgang Puck‘s California meets Europe restaurant Spago was the first row ticket to his success on the LA’s dining scene. The Austria-born chef was the pioneer of the contemporary California cuisine in the City of Angels over three decades ago. He blended the local, by sunshine blessed ingredients with the world’s cuisines, respectively Asian, South American and European. Spago right from the start became the mecca of power lunchers in Beverly Hills.

At Spago, Puck’s new Californian fine dining is brought to its current shape by the Executive Chef and James Beard Awardee Lee Hefter. The farm to table philosophy at Spago includes some sustainable and locally grown produce, but also the American pride from all over the country such as the Maine Lobster, Fanny Bay Oysters, California Wild King Salmon, Snake River Farm’s Braised “Wagyu” Short Ribs and many other land and sea-bound proteins muscled into Spago. The source of each major ingredient is disclosed on the menu, so the diners know where their food comes from. The chef joined the trendsetters of the current desire for local and the origin disclosing ingredients.

Wolfgang Puck and his business partner Barbara Lazaroff redesigned the interior as well as the menu at Spago aiming to inject a new vibe into their flagship restaurant. The new design is a success, but the menu might slightly disappoint its old timers. The large dining room features clean aesthetics, incorporating natural elements for an organic feel. The patio is naturalised through a streaming water panel as the centrepiece, green plants and rustic red brick walls surround the outdoor area. Dress smart as this is a popular hangout of the city’s top executives and other high players.

If you want to savour the chef’s European origins try his take on the traditional Austrian schnitzel, which is a delicious thin-cut slice of veal breaded, pan-fried and served with savoury vegetables. From the starters the Chino Farm’s Vegetable Salad, Pine Nuts, Feta Cheese, Snow Peas, Artichokes, is a nice taste of the local by Europe inspired seasonal bounty. Another good, but heartier meaty starter the Marcho Farm’s Veal Filet Mignon Tartare, Smoked Mascarpone is a great choice for raw meat lovers. The smoked mascarpone crowns the dish with its richness and softness balancing the chopped chunks of meat.

Spago offers Italian-inspired “fresh, wild and organic” courses of pasta and seafood. The Sweet White Corn Agnolotti, Parmigiano Reggiano, Mascarpone, Sage are popular. In a truly American fashion, the steak is the highlight of the menu and the chef’s steak venture CUT at the Fours Seasons hotel underlines his passion for the much celebrated American meats. The Grilled Dry-Aged New York Steak served with Potato-Bacon Terrine, Sauce Bordelaise has French influence, but the meat is from America. The chef could catch up with the millennial diners by offering more vegetable centric plates in his garden plates. The starters have some plant thought in them, but vegans will not find much as cheese appears where chicken, shrimp, fish or beef lost their way in. The Sweet Corn Soup could perhaps go without the Emmental Cheese Soufflé and Parmesan Crisp.
The bar is a place to catch up over cocktails or a glass of wine with specially prepared bar bites such as juicy cheeseburgers, meat balls, Chinese dumplings, marinated chicken wings or the chef’s legendary Pizza with house smoked salmon, dill, creme fraiche and chives, which is my favourite dish from the entire Spago menu.

The wine list in Spago has won multiple awards and deservedly is one of the best in Los Angeles. The coveted Wine Spectator Grand Award was achieved under the helm of Master Sommelier Christopher Miller. The restaurant’s 30,000 bottle collection guarantees a wide selection. Everyone can find something interesting even with a tight budget. Having deep pockets though is an advantage since many rare and iconic Californian treasures are cellared here. Wines from other countries are not forgotten with Austria being well-represented.
In the US, Wolfgang Puck is ranked among that generation of celebrity chefs like Jean Georges Vongerichten, Gordon Ramsey and Daniel Boulud. For me his off-the-gazes restaurant at the Bel Air Hotel is currently more consistent and the fire meets alfresco dining environment makes the ocassion more special.
Closed Monday and Sunday.

Lunch:
12 p.m. – 2:15 p.m., Tuesday – Thursday, Saturday
11:30 a.m. – 2:15 p.m., Friday
Dinner:
6 p.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday – Friday
5:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Saturday

176 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, California 90210, USA
+1 310 385 0880

Wá: understated sushi bistro in West Hollywood

Wá is woah – amazing. Whether you get the omakase chef’s menu or order á la carte, you will be mesmerised by the quality of ingredients and the skills of the chef.
Sushi omakase at Wa
Cuisine: Japanese, sushi and innovative Japanese cold and warm dishes.
Visit: February 2013
Price: Medium (for such a tremendous quality it is a good deal, compared to the hyped Matsuhisa south on the same road or the ultra-luxurious Urasawa on Rodeo it is a steal).
Wa sushi counter
Chef: The trio of founding chefs from Japan come from the rare breed of chefs honing their culinary skills at the nearby Matsuhisa. As many from this herd of skilled chefs they left this legendary precursor to the international chain of trendy Japanese restaurants Nobu (Matsuhisa) and established their own place. Wá has been at La Cienega for some years now and it has under its roof multiple dining awards mainly from the critical local press, but also from the coveted Zagat guide that gave Wá extraordinary 28 points (30 is maximum).
Creative sushi roll at Wá
Food: Traditional with gourmet twist of the chef and superb quality of ingredients. The menu is fun as most of it are dishes you have probably never seen before. If you do not want to risk it order one of the most popular dishes highlighted on the first page. I have started with the Halibut Carpaccio and savoured the Tuna Carpaccio from the omakase of my partner and was not disappointed. The fish was fresh and the condiments (mustard sauce) perfectly matched the type of the fish.

My next course was more adventurous. I have ordered the Mozuku kelp that the server told me is popular in Japan (mainly in Okinawa) but not in the US for its rather “very traditional taste”. Usually majority of diners go for the dark green wakame sea weed, the flat wide noodle-shaped and slightly crunchy seaweed that is tasty only with vinegar and other condiments, yet I was pleasantly surprised by the Mozuku sea weed. Resembling super-thin soba noodles, it was slightly brownish and delicate. The chef made it savoury with sweet soy vinegar and served on a bad of jelly in a flattering glass. The omakase plate of Caviar and white fish uni was also quite adventurous yet delicious.
Uni with caviar and white fish
This time I skipped the Caviar and gold leaf crowned terrine of ankimo (monkfish liver) since I was not as keen on it last time I had it at Matsuhisa in Aspen, Colorado. It seems quite rich and fatty next to the pristine fish and seafood dishes.
Deep fried tofu trio
Vegetarian options such as the sizling Mushroom tobanyaki or tofu will please the local veggie fans. It is all well-presented so not only your soul but also your aesthetical self will both be pleased. From the warm dishes I highly recommend the Agedashi tofu with pepper. The three cubes of lightly fried tofu in broth with shi-shito pepper, seaweed and condiments were soft with the sauce adding lots of freshness and depth to the neutral tofu.
Sizling Mushroom tobanyaki
One of the signature dishes the Lobster Tempura with Spicy Creamy Sauce was delicious as well. It was not as big as the dishes like this (Rock shrimp tempura) tend to be, which is highly practical because the fried lobster together with spicy creamy sauce are quite hard to digest. Therefore enjoy this yummy dish with moderation in a stylish martini glass.
Of course there are staples such as the The crispy rice and spicy tuna, but also the chef’s own take on them like in the Spicy Tuna Special of spicy tuna in shiso leaves, which is lightly fried with tempura sauce.. In the case of the crispy rice he fries it a bit more so the rice gets burning amber hues adding more richness and depth to the already distinctive tasting dish.
There are some desserts on the menu as well. In Japanese restaurants I love the Mochi ice cream so I went for it. Just ask your server for available flavours. I got mango, green tea and vanilla – all subtle and slightly sweet, mango being my favourite. Usually I like the green tea flavour, yet this time the mochi was less about the tea and more about the sweetness presumingly catering to the local American palates.
Mochi ice cream
Atmosphere: Understated, friendly and humming with coming and leaving diners popping in and out constantly. Wá is not about looks, it is a low-key dining spot on the second floor of a small strip mall above a Jiu Jitsu school and just next to 7-Eleven market. There is a parking garage downstairs for the driving guests convenience. The sushi bistro additionally offers one semi-private room with a large Tv. There you can watch your favourite team or a Tv show with your friends while savouring the tremendous food. In the main dining room you can sit on a bar, which is ideal for the omakase, where the chef serves you one course after another as he pleases. The rest are just simple tables. Wear anything casual, even sneakers and baseball hats. I love the little details (like the one below) you can find around the restaurant.
The Ladies bathroom doll
Opening hours: Open only for dinner Tue-Sun: 6pm-11pm. Closed on Mondays.
Address: 1106 N La Cienega Blvd #201; West Hollywood, CA 90069, USA.
Contact: Tel: +1 (310) 854-7285

The Cut by Wolfgang Puck in Beverly Hills

Cut celebrates top grade meat of the great American steakhouse. Wolfgang Puck is an Austria-born chef and one of the pioneers of the fine-dining in California. From Spago through Cut he had created a restaurant empire stretching from the US to Europe and Asia. While Spago has an innovative California twist, Chinois in Santa Monica is an Asian fusion, and his most recent project at the legendary Bel Air Hotel brings the contemporary, more restrained luxury of food to the spotlight. His Hollywood smile and charisma like his food look great and tastes alluring.

The vibrant and modern interior at Cut can feel a bit cold on a day light. In the evening when the lights are dim it feels much more cosy. Wear a carefree and youthful looking leather jacket or a fancy dress, after all you are in Beverly Hills and here not conservative style, but individuality and money rule. The chairs may feel like in an office, but the comfortable booths are great.

Food: Rich, oily, juicy with a slight California gourmet twist. Starting with Tomatoes, Cheese and Anchovy Salad I was confused since the anchovies just did not work with the other ingredients, mainly the camembert style cheese. It was one of the seasonal out-of-the-menu dishes and if they offer it again I will not order it. Steak Tartare made of chopped Prime Sirloin and served with Grilled Bread followed. This dish was delicious. The crucial aspect of a great steak tartare is using high quality meat and the way the meat is chopped. At the Cut they have cut it perfectly – thin and tender chunks of meat melted in my mouth smoothly after mixing them up with the quail egg, onions and chives. The only minus was the bland grilled bread.

Most people come to Cut to enjoy a great steak. You can go for a Tasting of the New York Sirloin prepared in three ways: American “Kobe Style” From Snake River Farms 4 Oz; U.S.D.A. PRIME Dry Aged 35 Days 4 Oz; Australian Wagyu Beef From David Blackmore Ranch, Alexandria, Victoria 2 Oz. It is fun to try all these meats next to each other and the portions are not overwhelming. It is very expensive though, plus disappointing for some highly experienced meat connoisseurs like the boys in our group. First, the meat was undercooked and not warm enough. For any meal above $50 this is simply unacceptable! Once the back warmer and medium rare, he did not enjoy the texture as much. Perhaps the culprit was putting it twice under the heat, and not as it should be at a reputable restaurant cooked from scratch again.

Meat tray. Source: Cut's gallery http://www.wolfgangpuck.com

As any steak house in America, Cut features seductive side dishes. The French Fries with Herbs were not impressive – chewy and not crisp, the Tempura Onion Rings was too oily and not crispy as a real tempura style should be. The Sautéed Baby Spinach with Garlic was not spoiled. The highlight was the delicious Soft Polenta with Parmesan. The polenta together with the Cavatappi Pasta “Mac & Cheese,” Québec Cheddar would be the only two sides that I would order again. We also tried the Wild Field Mushrooms, Japanese Shishito Peppers, but they were disappointing for the high price. Not having much flavour is a total failure for any mushroom dish.

The wine list blinks alluring wines from all over the world, with niche choices from California. The sommelier was very helpful. We got a small production Cabernet Sauvignon from Scribe and were thrilled. I have not had such an elegant Cab from California for a long time. It was perfectly balanced, with velvety tannins and depth keeping up with the intensity of the food served at Cut. The wine was for sure the highlight of the dinner.

Monday – Thursday: 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.; Friday: 6 p.m. – 11 p.m.; Saturday: 5:30 p.m. – 11 p.m., closed on Sunday
Beverly Wilshire – Four Seasons Hotel, 9500 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, California 90212, USA
+1 310 276 8500

Gjelina: the sizzling hot dining spot in bohemian Venice

Travis Lett, the chef at Gjelina in LA’s Venice, is an environmentally conscious talent from New Jersey. Lett proves that even without a professional chef’s training, being creative, hard working and food conscious can be a winning restaurant combo. Gjelina is still after a decade of hyper popularity crazy hard to get a dinner reservation at. Unless you are willing to wait hours for a table, standing in the cool, but crowded bar by the entrance, book weeks ahead.

Gjelina was one of the daring pioneers what was once a no sane man’s land. Still you may bump into a psychologically disturbed or psychedelic on the moon individuals in the side lanes, but now more technoratti and surfers who can afford the skyrocketing rents inhabit this beach end of Los Angeles. These days, the cluttered ultra-cool Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice is where your hip brand opens a unique boutique. The olde days recalling, there is no sign screaming GJELINA, blinking and tempting you inside. But once you find it, you will retrace its wooden facade and incognito entrance as if it were a blinking star.

Sharing the bounty grown in California Gjelina style

Little has changed since I came almost a decade ago for the first meal at Gjelina. The food is outstanding, wine list engaging, Staropramen (Pilsner) beer from the Czech Republic on the tap and the trendy crowd eating, chatting, standing or just observing the deliciously looking plates as they pass around in the waiter’s hands. The fragrant, charred, thin-crusted pizza from a wood-burning oven is a sin worth succumbing to. Like a bbq, at the back, dark yard, the pizza somehow tastes even better. On the top of the flattened, baked delicacy is not the common stuff one would expect on a slice of pizza. Where was the World pizza award committee? Asleep smwr after too much pizza in Europe, my guess. Vegetables from Santa Monica’s farmers market are part of the deal. From okra to kale, using the freshest produce is the key to his success. Sourcing great meat and cheese is his another strength and reveals the chef’s penchant for finding the right ingredients. You cannot cheat on the quality of raw fish. The quality blinks green on the raw Hawaiian Amber Jack crudo with Jalapeño Vinegar, Blood Orange, Cilantro & Sesame.

The chef’s bravure shows in the original fusion of ingredients that he fearlessly mixes up as Van Gogh once experimented with his colour palette. Vincent Van Gogh, the famous Dutch painter said: “I know for sure that I have an instinct for colour, and that it will come to me more and more, that painting is in the very marrow of my bones.” If you switch colour for ingredients then you find the chef Lett. Just ponder about this pizza topping made of Duck Sausage, Nameko Mushroom, Mozzarella & Garlic Oil or this one with Asparagus, Sottocenere, Garlic, Shallot & Sunny Egg or here you go – Hen of the Woods Mushrooms, Beet Greens & Taleggio (semi-hard cheese). Not salivating yet? I do just thinking about last time munching on it.

A salad from Tuscan Kale, Shaved Fennel, Radish, Lemon, Ricotta Salata & Breadcrumb is one of the tastiest salads I have ever tried and no wonder, it has stayed on the menu for a while. Even the no-ever ‘saladeers’ will appreciate this one. I would not call it a salad, let’s just say it is supper yummy. Also their take on the Caesar salad is innovative and fresh. Lighter than the often heavily sauced traditional plate.
Veggie-wise, another nourishing kale dish is worth trying – Grilled Russian Kale with Shallot Yogurt & Toasted Hazelnuts is crunchy and creamy at the same time. The iron and chlorophyl in kale, better absorbed with Vitamin C from a drizzle of lemon, add the hunger-taming high protein in nuts and digestion-aiding yoghurt, all together create a super-meal. The recipe is in the Gjelina cookbook (p.97) so make it at home when the season for kale is peaking.

The Grilled East Coast Squid with Lentils, Red Peppers & Salsa Verde plate was not just originally combined, but a great match. The Chickpea Stew with Greens, Cous Cous, Spiced Yogurt & Harissa is legendary, and has not disappointed many regulars who tried this Moroccan inspired plate repeatedly like I did. The spicy harrissa paste is mellowed by a thick yoghurt and grainy couscous. Ideal for vegetarians.

Plate of Artisanal Cheeses with Membrillo, Honeycomb & Toasts is perfect with some wine to share. The selection depends on what the chef finds interesting on the day of purchase and, unless aged, it is guaranteed that it is fresh. Spanish membrillo, a thick paste from this sweet yellow fruit grown in Spain is a great sweet match to stronger cheeses.

The AA members will enjoy the home-made iced tea, refreshing and you can sweeten it yourself so no extra calories with the decadent meal at Gjelina. The wine-by-the glass selection is global and niche so experiment and be surprised! I hope positively. I got a Grenache Blanc from Toppanga Vineyards (Arroyo Seco, California 2009). Grenache is not very typical for California and I gave it a shot and was pleasantly surprised by its crisp, yet aromatic taste. The wines are not cheap. A glass starts at $13. The selection by the bottle spans some adventurous choices from Georgia, Greece and even from Uruguay. Not a fan of hazarding? Stay local, with France, Italy or Spain as there is plenty to choose from. The creative bar cocktails are tempting, if you try, let me know which one is good. Merci!
The only drawback is that you have to park yourself, an annoying task for the expats living in the LA valley culture.
Visits: April 2009 – 2017
Price: High, but sharing of a number of dishes is recommended and the bill fills your belly and conscience.
+1 310 450 1429
Mon-Fri: 11:30am – midnight; Weekends: 9am – midnight

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